Corn-husker.



J. H. PIERCE.

CORN HUSKER.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1913.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

1 ML NORRIS PEYERS ca. PH01D-LITHO., WASHINGTON. LL C,

J. H. PIERCE.

CORN HUSKER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.31,1913.

1 1 1 1 ,856. Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PEYERS CO., PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. H. PIERCE.

CORN HUSKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1913 l, 1 1 1,856, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q7 Jwe/zZZ?" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORN-HUSKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Original application filed September 18, 1905, Serial 110.278.5369.Divided and this application filed March To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn I-I. PInRon, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Corn Huskers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to corn huskers in general, but is especiallydirected to machines of that character which are used to operate uponears of green corn.

My novel and improved form of machine feeds ears of corn successively toa conveyer in which they are clamped in place and operated upon asfollows: Each car after being fed to the conveyer is thrustlongitudinally against a stationary knife to split the protruding pieceof stock up to the butt of the car, this operation positioning the carwhich is subsequently cut off at its base by a circular saw revolvingadjacent to the conveyer thus removing the split pieces of stock andcutting through the husks. Another knife is provided for each car whichsevcrs the top or silk thereof, the knife being caused to cut by theoperation of its rotating support engaging a fixed cam. The earis thenforced longitudinally between a plurality of converging spring knives sothat its husks are shredded or split their full length, and the ear isfreed from the knives and falls from the machine. In order to remove anyportion of the husks which have a tendency to cling to the knives or tobecome bunched about them, I provide a cleaner consisting of two rapidlyrevolving arms which rotate close to the knives and knock any remnantsof husks therefrom.

The particular features of the machine which form the subject matter ofthe pres ent application, which is a division of my application Ser. No.278,969, September 18, 1905, are the means by which the butts of theears of corn are automatically severed while undergoing the huskingoperation.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification andupon which is based the following detailed description, is shown by wayof illustration, one form of my improved feeding means, it beingunderstood that various modifications in form and arrangement may bemade without departure from the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front ele- Serial No. 757,814.

{ vation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a partial s de elevation showing theear held in position to be operated on by the cutter; Fig. 3 1s atransverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar sectionon the line 4% of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of one of theslitting or shredding knives; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View showinga fragment of the conveyer, the saw, and the stock splitting knife; Fig.7 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the guides and shreddingknives; Fig. 8 is a side elevation for supporting and severing the silkend of the ear; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8; andFig. 10 is a perspective view of the butt-cutting knife and saw andtheir operating mechanism.

The description of those parts of the ma chine which sustain acooperative relation only to the present invention will be in generalterms, reference being had for an understanding of the details ofconstruction to said parent application, the patent upon which, it isintended, shall issue concurrently herewith.

The machine frame consists of upright members and horizontal connectingmem bers withsuitable braces. Across the top of the frame is mounted ashaft 11 rotating in bearings 12, the right hand end of the shaft asshown in Fig. 1 being supplied with a sprocket wheel 13 connected by asprocket chain to a similar wheel fastened to the shaft 14 lying to therear of the shaft 11 and suitably journaled in the frame. Also keyed tothe shaft 1 is a driving pulley 15 which operates the entire mechanismof the machine. On this same end of the shaft 11 is a smaller sprocketwheel 16 connected by the chain 17 with a comparatively large sprocketwheel 18 keyed to the outer end of a lower shaft 19 on which is mounteda rotary conveyer 20.

Upon the left hand end of the shaft 11 I provide a pulley 21 arranged todrive the pulley 22 by means of a belt 23. The pulley 22 is fixed uponone end of the jack shaft 24 while upon the opposite end thereof ismounted a circular saw 25 revolvingin proximity to the rotary conveyer20. Connecting the shaft 24 with the lower. shaft 26 is a cross belt 27passing over pulleys 28 and 29 on the shafts 2 1 and 26 respectively,the latter being supplied at its inner end with cleaner arms todischarge husks which may accumulate about the husking knives. In orderto render the rotation of the cleaner arms more uniform I mount upon theouter end of the shaft 26 a comparatively heavy balance wheel 31. Itwill thus be observed that the motion of the drive pulley 15 istransmitted by means of the various wheels, pulleys, chains, and beltsso that the conveyer, saw and the cleaner are rotated.

The conveyer, which resembles a squirrel cage, is mounted on the shaft19 and comprlses, generally speaking, end spiders having radial armswith terminal annular members 32 at the left hand end and terminal U-shaped members 33 at the right hand end, the members 32 and 33 beingarranged peripherally about the conveyer and the pairs longitudinallythereof, the members of each pair connected by a series of spacedlongitudinally extending wires 34 forming a trough-like channel for theears which are pushed forward in said channels by members 35 acted uponby compression springs 36, and contractile springs 37 and by rolls 38traveling on cam rails 39, 39, toward the left hand end of each channelwhere the annulus 32 is equipped with slitting knives for the removal ofthe husk, the movement of the ears in the channelsand the action of thehusking devices being described in detail in my said application.

The ears of corn are supplied one at a time to the channels in front ofthe member 35 by a feeding mechanism described in detail in myapplication referred to above, such feeding. mechanism being indicatedgenerally in the present case at 10.

In order to guide the stock end of the ear, 1 supply each one of annularmembers 32 with a series of circularly arranged converging spring arms11 and 42, the four arms 41 being united by strips 43, which are securedby means of screws or bolts to the upper outer side of ring 32, thethree guide arms 42 being held together and in place by the integralstrip 44 whose ends are wrapped around two of the wires or rods 34.These guide arms project inwardly with respect to the conveyer from thering 32 as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 and are then bent outwardly andconverging, their outer ends passing into ring 32 (Fig. 7). Spacedbetween these guides is a plurality of spring knives 45 which are fittedin perforations in ring 32 and held therein by set-screws 46. Theseknives are of the shape illustrated in Fig. 5, their free ends beingflattened and sharp ened, and the knives. are circularly arranged withtheir sharpened ends converging.

Slidably mounted in each of the pockets or receptacles of the carrier 20is a perforated supporting member 35 which reciprocates on three of therods 34, the member 35 having outward-1y and downwardly extended arms 47for that purpose, each of which has a hole through which one of the rods34 passes. Fastened to the lower portion of each member are two arms 48,whose outer ends are connected to their corresponding ring 32 by tensionspring 37. Each member 35 has a longitudinal perforation 4:9 with atapered mouth 50 in which is rod 51, the inner end of each rod beingsupplied with a tapered head fitting within the tapered mouth ofperforation 49. Each supporting member 35 on the side adjacent to itsring 32 is supplied with a fuimel-shaped guiding and supporting member53, which is intended to support the silk end of the ear of corn in thereceptacle, a portion of the end protruding into the perforation 49.Each support 35 is also provided with two upstanding rods 54 on whichreciprocates cutter member 55, the same being supplied with twoperforations which slide on the rods To hold the cutter to the upperlimit of its movement when not otherwise depressed is spring 56,inserted between. said cutter member and the top portion of support 3.4.as shown in Fig. 4. To limit the upward movement of cutter 55 any formof stopping means may be employed. The upper end of member 55 issupplied with rod 57 which has two loose rollers 58, one at each side ofthe member 55 and held in place by cotter pin 59. To one face of member55 is screwed. knife blade 60, which when forced downwardly intersectsthe perforation 19. By a stationary cam member 58 supported from theframe by arms 58 (Fig. 1), the rollers 58 are engaged, whereby as thecarrier rotates the cutter blade is forced downwardly and the silk endof the ear is severed.

Mounted adjacent to the rapidly revolving circular saw 25 is astationary knife blade 61 and near its sharpened edge is an adjustablearm 62, supported on the iron bar 63 by means of slotted lugs 64, thesame being held to bar 63 by bolts 65. Pivoted to the outwardly extendedprojection 66 of a rm 62 is a lever 67, in the plane of arm 62 andspring pressed toward it by spring 68, pin 69 on the lever limiting themovement of the lever by reason of its engagement with lug 70 on theprojection 66. i

The operation of this machine is as follows: The driving of pulley 15,by means of an external source of power rotates shaft 14, and by meansof the sprocket wheels together with the connecting chain shaft 11receives its rotary motion. Shaft 19 which bears the conveyer receivesits motion from shaft 1]., by means of the sprocket wheels 16 and 18 andthe connecting chain 17.

Shaft 11 transmits power to shaft 24: by means of pulleys 21 and 22 andbelt 23, these connections furnishing rapid motion for the circular saw25, and in order to lo tate shaft 26 with its cleaning arms 30, the

the receptacle or trough roller 38 passes off of the end of cam rail 39,and due to the release of the springs 36 the members 35 quickly slide tothe left, the silk end of the corn passing into the funnel shapedmember" 35 and protruding through the member '32. The sliding movementof member 35 under the action of springs 36 and 37 causes the stock endof the ear to project from the end of the conveyer the same being forcedagainst knife blade 61, the butt end of the ear striking on arms 62 and67. Bythis operation the stock end is split up to the cob by blade 61,thus positioning the ear so that the rapidly rotating circular saw 25will sever the-stock and husks at the cob as the conveyer revolves, thestock end easily passing out from between the arms 62 and 67 due to thefact that arm 67 is pivoted and spring pressed. As the conveyer or drumtravels around, the rollers 58 on the cutting member are pressedradially inward knife blade thereby severing the silk end of the ear.Continued rotation of the conveyer causes the rollers 58 to pass fromunder the actuating cam the cutting blade 60 being raised by means ofspring 56 which was compressed in the downward movement of cutter Therotation of the conveyer causes each roller 38 to engage the innersurfaces of stationary cam 39 the point at which this engagement takesplace depending upon the position of said roller which is determined bythe length of the ear in the receptacle. As the roller travels on thecam 39 rod 51 and traveling member 35 are moved inwardly, causing thecompression of spring 36, and also forcing the ear outwardly by means ofthe end 52 of rod 51 engaging the inner end of the ear, the ear beingguided by the members 41 and 42 and pressed between knives 45, so thatas the ear passes through the ring 32 its husks are shredded or slittheir entire length, and the ear is discharged from the machine. Thecontinued rotation of the conveyer bringsthe husks which haveaccumulated about the knives and guides into contact with their rapidlyrevolving cleaner arms 30, thereby removing the husks from the machine.When the roller reaches the space 39 it is pressed to the right by theexpansion of spring 37 so as to engage and travel on the outside of cam39 as the conveyer continues its rotation. Each ear in each receptacleis treated in the manner described above, and since the feedingmechanism is constantly supplying ears to the empty receptacles, theoperation of husking the corn is continuous.

Instead of mechanism for severing thesilk end of the ear describedabove, I may use the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The knife blade 71 ismounted on the outer end of spring 7 2 which is fastened at its innerend of member 35 by means of screws 73. The portion 74-. may be integralwith the knife blade or it may be a separate member attached to theknifeblade, spring 72 taking the place of the rollers 58 described above. Asthe members 74 pass under the operating cam, the blades 71 are caused toshear off the ends of the ears as will be apparent.

While I have herein shown and described what- I deem preferredembodiments of the invention, I am aware that modifications can be madetherein without departing from the substance of my invention and I donot, therefore, limit the invention to the details shown and describedexcept in so far as such details are made the subject matter of specificclaims.

I claim: i i

1. In a machine of the character described. the combination of aconveyer for an ear of corn, a saw adjacent to said conveyer to severthe stock end of said ear, and means traveling with said conveyor toproject the stock end of said ear into the plane of operation of saidsaw, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of arotatable conveyer for an ear of corn, a saw adjacent to said conveyer,and a spring actuated means traveling with said conveyer to project thestock end of said ear into the plane of operation of said saw,substantially'as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aconveyer having a plurality of receptacles, each adapted to receive anear of corn, a saw adjacent to said conveyer to sever the stock ends ofsaid ears, and means in each receptacle to project the stock endsof saidears into the plane of operation of said saw, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aconveyer having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive anear of corn, a saw adjacent to said conveyer to sever the stock ends ofsaid ears, and a spring actuated means in each receptacle to project thestock ends of said ears into the plane of operation of said saw,substantially as described.

5. In amachine of the character described, the combination of a conveyerhaving a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive an ear ofcorn, means adjacent to said conveyer to sever the stock ends of saidears of corn, and a sliding spring-actuated pusher in each receptacle toproject its ear of corn into the plane of operation of said severingmeans whereby its stock end may be out off as said conveyer moves,substantially as decorn, a knife blade adjacent to said conveyer, a sawadjacent to said conveyer,

means to thrust the stock end of said ear against said knife forsplitting and positionlng the same, and means to move said conveyer sothat said saw Will sever the split 1 stock end of said ear,substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of areceptacle for an ear of corn, a perforated support for the silk end ofsaid ear, said end lying in the perforation of said support, a springsupported knife to sever said end of the ear, and means to operate saidknife substantially as described.

the combination of a movable receptacle for an ear of corn, a perforatedsupport for the silk end of said ear, said end lying in saidperforation, a knife to sever said end of the ear, and a cam to operatesaid knife, substantially as described,

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a movablereceptacle for an ear of corn, a perforated support for the silk end ofsaid ear, said end lying in said perforation, a knife to sever said endof the ear, and a stationary cam to operate said knife, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of arotary receptacle for an ear of corn, a perforated support in saidreceptacle for the silk end of said ear, said silk end lying in theperforation, a knife mounted on said support, a spring to raise saidknife also mounted on said support, and a stationary cam adapted tooperate said knife to sever the silk end of said ear, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a machine of the character deeribed, the combination of aconveyer having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive anear of corn, a support for the silk end of each ear, and a means foreach corn, substantially as described.

12. In a' machine of the character described, the combination of arotary conve'yer provided with a plurality of receptacles, each adaptedto receive an ear of corn, a perforated support in each receptacle forthe silk end of its ear, said silk end lying in said perforation, aspring mounted on each support, a knife attached to each spring adaptedto sever the silk end of each ear, and a stationary cam adapted tooperate said knives as the conveyer rotates, substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aconveyer proj vided with a plurality of receptacles, each 1 adapted toreceive an ear of corn, a feeding 1 mechanism to supply ears to saidreceptacles,

means to split the stock end of each said ,ears to position the same,and means to sever said stock ends, substantially as described.

let. In a machine of the character de- Q scribed, the combination of aconveyer pro- 8. In a machine of the character described,

vided with a plurality of receptacles, each 1 adapted to receive an earof corn, a feeding:

mechanism to supply ears to said receptacles,

fineans to split the stock end of each ear to 1 position the same, meansto sever the stock end of each ear, and means to cut off the silk end ofeach ear, substantially as descrlbed.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a.conveyer pro- ;vided With a plurality of receptacles, each adapted toreceive an ear of corn, a feeding mechanism to supply ears to saidreceptacles,

16. In a machine of the character de- 1 scribed, the combination of aconveyer having' a plurality of receptacles, each adapted 1 to receivean ear of corn, means adjacent to said conveyer to sever the stalk endsof said ears of corn, and aspring-actuated pusher in each receptacle toproject its ear of corn into the plane of operation of said severing 1means whereby its stalk end may be cut off 1 as said co veycr moves,substantially as dee scribed.

receptacle to sever the silk end of its ear of JOSEPH H. PIERCE.lVitnesses T. D. BUTLER, MARION G. ELWELL,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five eentseaeh, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

